All Messed Up
by SkyFairies
Summary: Hate takes over Lucy all the time. Her mother was shot by her father and their lives all fell apart. In the midst of all that, now she lives with a boy named Natsu Dragneel. She feels like dying. So why does her heart now beat so fast with him? How can he be so nice to her? She's falling in love, right in the middle of her tragic life. And did I mention? Natsu has a girlfriend.
1. Chapter 1- Relax

**Hi guys! ;)**

**This is the re-written version of Moving in. I was re-reading this a couple of times (almost burst out crying once- HOW DO YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH?) and I REALLY thought that this could be SO MUCH BETTER. But I didn't want to tell you guys so quickly.**

**Instead, I re-wrote all of this and THEN told you.**

**SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT! ;)**

**I personally thought that was better.**

**So, without further ado,**

**THE RE-WRITTEN VERSION!**

**READ, REVIEW, ENJOY! ;)**

**P.S. I really hope you like this better.**

**P.P.S. You can also say that the other one wasn't good. I don't mind. As long as you think this is improved then I'm happy. ;) ;) ;)**

* * *

It had been a really long day for Layla Heartfilia.

She just got back from work when Igneel had invited her over for dinner. Of course, she couldn't refuse. This was her best friend and their family.

Layla wanted to relax for once.

And so she took a choice.

"Igneel? I'll be there." and the blond walked off towards the curb.

A slim hand waved towards an incoming taxi.

"Mavis street please." she climbed in and shut the door behind her.

Then the female took out her phone and texted her husband.

**Layla- I'm going to Igneel's for dinner. Get some take-out for you and Lucy. I'll be home at 9:00.**

And the stressed out woman sighed while leaning back.

Hopefully, the night would help her calm back down.

**Layla- Lucy, honey, I'm going over to Igneel's tonight. Go make sure your father orders some food and I'll be back at 9:00. Love you.**

**Lucy- Sure mom. Tell Igneel I said hi. ;) **

Layla just felt so much better talking to her daughter. Even if she wasn't with her too often, Lucy was still that little girl she loved and played with. But with so much work now, their family was falling apart. That little golden child was closing off. The mother could tell. But Lucy wouldn't speak or budge.

And Jude. She sighed once more. He was just... boxed up. When they had gotten married, she just felt like flying. Layla just knew this would be the best time of her life.

But when Lucy came... things just started breaking. The wife was happier than ever. But the husband...

He started becoming more closed off. Now, she couldn't even go through a texting session without him suddenly leaving.

Truthfully, now the woman wasn't sure of anything.

And she was sure as hell that this life was seriously messed up right now.

* * *

"It's alright Igneel, I'm sure the storm isn't too bad." Layla tried convincing her best friend.

"Nonsense. The news says that no one is supposed to go outside right now. You'll just have to stay the night." he stood his ground.

"But Lucy-"

"You can call her. I'm sure she wouldn't want her own mother to get caught up in this storm." Igneel said.

The worried woman groaned. But she knew when it was over.

Her fingers dialed a number.

She waited for Lucy to come on.

"Yes?" a scared voice spoke.

"Lucy!" Layla exclaimed.

"Oh, mom." she replied.

"I'm afraid I'll have to stay at Igneel's for the night. Apparently," she shot a glare to the man.

"-This storm is too big for me to handle. I can take a taxi home in the morning though." the brown eyed female finished.

"I-it's ok mom. Just come back in the morning ok?" and Layla took note of her daughter's tone.

"Is everything alright over there?" she asked worriedly.

The female could have sworn she heard a gruff voice on the other line.

Just then there was a noise. The phone had dropped onto the ground. Shuffling could be heard.

"No, I'm good mom. See you tomorrow." and the girl hung up.

"W-wait," but it was too late.

There was a frown upon her pretty face when she took the phone away from her ear.

"What's wrong?" her friend came over.

"Lucy seemed... tense. Is that supposed to be normal?" the brown eyed lady asked while staring at the electronic device in her hands.

"I'm not too sure. But you can confront her about it tomorrow." he stated.

"Yes, but this already happened before and Lucy didn't tell me anything!" she shook her tresses in frustration.

Igneel was quiet.

"I'll talk to her for you. Maybe she needs someone else to ask her about it." he spoke.

"Thank you. I really have no idea what to do these days." Layla looked into his dark eyes.

"No problem. After all, Lucy is my daughter too." he ginned at that.

And that was true. Igneel looked after Lucy ever since she was born. The man knew that Jude was very unhappy about him but left the situation alone.

Igneel was a second father to her. But he had never heard about this.

Although it did make sense.

Lucy didn't come over as often or talk to him anymore. Igneel knew he had to ask her about these things later.

"You should go to sleep. She expects you in the morning." he said softly.

"Alright then. Good night Igneel." and she went up the steps, deep in thought.

That left the thinking man alone downstairs.

Why WAS Lucy acting like this? And why was Jude so closed off now? From what the red haired father had heard, Layla didn't even know what was wrong with her husband anymore.

It was really strange.

"Dad?"

The male turned around to see his pink haired son standing at the foot of the stairs.

"Natsu."

Igneel suddenly realized something. Natsu and Lucy had never met before. That was surprising. Oh well. The guy could just set them up together one day. Who knew?

A smile appeared.

Maybe Layla could be his sister.

"Uh, dad?"

The daydreaming man snapped back.

"Yeah?" he managed to speak.

"Why's Layla staying here?" his son asked sleepily.

"There's a storm outside. She'll go in the morning." Igneel spoke absentmindedly.

His son just nodded a bit and yawned.

Then, a noise suddenly penetrated the silence.

Natsu scrambled for his phone. When he finally fished it out of his pocket, the boy looked at the caller ID and sighed.

"Yeah Lisanna?"

Oh. That was right. The guy had a girlfriend.

"I'm going to bed right now."

Igneel's eyes furrowed. He was sure he had taught his idiot son a few things about women before.

Rule number one: Don't snap at them.

"OK. Night." and the male turned around to go back upstairs.

"I thought you had manners young man. Don't snap at your girlfriend." Igneel called after him.

The onyx eyed teen turned around.

"Really dad? I don't even know what to do with her anymore." and Natsu slipped out of sight.

*blink*

The man groaned.

Why did all the stuff have to happen with HIM?

Just then, another ringtone came up.

"Honey?"

"Yeah. How's Wendy?"

Not to mention his prized cook was away on a trip.

The man looked over at the pizza boxes left on the dining table. Good thing Layla loved simple food. His eyes then turned to the dirty dishes in the sink.

"Huh? No no. Everything is just _great."_

* * *

**First chappie over. I hope you guys think this has improved.**

**I certainly feel better about it.**

**Feedback? Better or worse?**

**Love all of you. ;)**

**(Your just so frickin awesome *sparkle*)**

**-SkyFairies**


	2. Chapter 2- WHAT!

**So SECOND CHAPPIE! YAAAY!**

**This was uploaded with chapter 1.**

**Just so you could have more to read.**

**Enjoy. ;)**

* * *

Layla woke up the next morning feeling extremely refreshed.

Her mind went to the previous night. It was great to be able to hang out with her old friend and joke around.

Not to mention his son.

The woman smiled while looking up at the white ceiling.

Natsu had really grown up. He was now a star in the soccer team. Just like Igneel.

The boy had also grown in looks too. He sported unruly pink hair and a strong, masculine face. Very handsome. No doubt the male took after his father. Heck, she wouldn't be surprised if he was popular in school too.

Her body rolled over in bed.

Grandine was away on a business trip. Apparently, she was needed in another city for surgery. Wendy had tagged along. From a young age, she was interested in the hospital and it's work. The little girl was a true prodigy.

She chuckled. That was the complete opposite of Igneel.

Yawning, the golden haired female sat up and quickly got out of bed.

She raked her fingers through her hair, hoping it didn't look too bad.

Switching out her clothes, Layla left Grandine's pajamas on a chair and rushed downstairs.

The blond was in the middle of putting her shoes on when someone else came.

"Are you leaving already?"

Igneel walked over, looking rumpled and sleepy. Near his feet, Happy was sitting down and licking his face.

"Yeah. I don't want to keep them waiting. Especially Lucy." Layla finished tying her laces and opened the door.

"Well, tell her she needs to come over sometime. We have a lot to talk about." he grinned.

"Sure. She's probably just really busy with schoolwork now."

"Ha. I wish Natsu was like that. The only thing he works on is dropping that grade down." the father frowned.

"It's just the teenage cycle. Not to mention you were like that too in high school." she smirked.

"But I made it through!" the older man whined.

"If that means taking my notes and copying off them then yes. You did make it."

His eye twitched a little. Hey, it wasn't his fault people invited him to parties all the time.

"But I really have to go now. See you later Igneel." she rushed out and into the hallway.

He heard the familiar ding of the elevator.

"Stay safe Layla." he shouted out.

"Yeah yeah."

Two metal doors closed up.

The last thing he saw was her rolling those brown orbs.

* * *

Meanwhile in another apartment...

Lucy was in her room, looking out the balcony.

She sighed and went back into the bathroom.

"I guess I'll just have to wait." she whispered while looking into the mirror.

Bruises and red marks outlined her skin. A few scars could be seen around her shoulders too. Dried blood stuck to her cheeks.

She turned a handle. Water came pouring out of the tap.

A towel was put underneath the liquid, soaking it up. Then, it was brought to her multiple wounds.

Wincing, the female gently cleaned up all the red substance and grime from her skin.

She looked at the torn flesh and felt disgusted. Disgusted with herself, disgusted with her life, disgusted that she had ever been born.

A shaking hand reached for some concealer cream.

The chocolate brown eyes were hollow and empty.

No tear marks.

She had cried herself out a long time ago.

"I wish things could just be different."

The blond girl looked away from her horrible reflection.

And then Lucy began the long process of covering her pain.

While applying another barrier.

Separating her from the truth, and a fantasy.

* * *

This time the woman had taken a bus back to her home.

She was currently sitting next to a window. Her face was reflected on the clear glass and the city was just passing by.

People were crowded on the vehicle.

Even on a weekend, Magnolia was bustling around. People walking out of a café, hanging out with friends, going to the mall.

Nothing ever stopped.

A breath of air puffed out of Layla's mouth.

She groaned inwardly. Tomorrow was a work day. Which meant more time in the office writing and typing while drinking up to 10 cups of coffee an hour, just to keep her eyes open.

Just then, they stopped in front of a familiar building.

She quickly got up and moved through the crowd of people.

"Excuse me." the woman muttered and finally got off the red bus.

She stretched her limbs for a second and then walked off.

Soon, the female stood in front of a big structure and walked inside.

Layla waved to the receptionist and got inside of another elevator. She pressed one of the many numbers and slowly, the box moved up.

Two eyes were focused on the floor levels, waiting to reach her destination.

Finally, the doors opened and her feet stepped out onto a carpet.

Moving towards the end of the lined up doors, she pulled out a set of dangling keys.

Unlocking the door, the blond went inside the large space.

She took off her shoes and moved into the kitchen to get a glass of water. The place was eerily silent. Well, it was the weekend.

Taking one last sip, the brown eyed female walked over to her daughter's room.

She stood outside, contemplating whether to knock or not. Layla eventually decided to let Lucy sleep for a bit more.

The woman moved over to her husbands bedroom and silently opened the door.

What she saw made her blood run cold.

A dark haired female was sleeping in the same bed as Jude. The two were facing each other, clothes rumpled and legs tangled together. They both had clothes on, but barely enough.

Layla's eyes were wide open.

"What?" she whispered.

* * *

**Hehehe. What just happened? New chappie comin' up.**

**Good? Horrible?**

**Just give me some of your opinions. ;)**

**-SkyFairies**


	3. Chapter 3- The sky was crying

_**CHAPTER 3**_

_**All Messed Up**_

* * *

_Some people get to have their dream life._

_But others are forced to the dark._

_Take the chance to see the light._

_Or let someone else help you._

_o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o_

She was still in shock.

Her HUSBAND had cheated on her.

The one she had been with for nearly 17 years.

And he left with someone else.

Layla was sitting near the window, watching the sky.

Gray clouds rumbled overhead. No doubt it was going to thunderstorm soon. She let out another sigh. It seemed like she was doing that a lot lately.

Just then, the door slammed shut again.

She turned her head around slowly.

"We need to get a divorce."

What?

WHAT?

So your wife found out you've been sneaking around with another woman. And that was the first thing you said to her? To get a divorce?

Her two feet seemed to move all on it's own.

*SLAP*

A pale hand suspended in midair.

Jude's face was turned to the side.

Bangs prevented anyone from seeing her angered expression.

"So I stayed with you these seventeen years." her arms shook slightly.

"For nothing?"

The usually sweet voice was even and emotionless. No one could tell what she was feeling right now. Hints weren't given. Life isn't so easy.

"I married you. And no answer?"

His face was turning back around.

"A divorce paper. You want a divorce."

Inside, she was breaking down. Because realizing the one you loved was just faking? It's enough pain to last a lifetime.

"So what? You're just going to stay quiet?"

She waited for an explanation. You'd think she deserved one.

Jude had enough of her.

After all, he only had toys to play with.

"You're annoying."

Her eyes were wide open. Fear clearly seen swirling around in the brown.

Silver flashed.

Blood splattered across the carpet.

Red was stained against white.

Sinking in ever so slowly.

Never to come out.

* * *

_Little Lucy was sitting in a room. All alone._

_She had grown old enough to understand now._

_Don't trust daddy anymore._

_But how could you now?_

_How could you ignore the one who MADE you?_

_You couldn't possibly understand the fear and terror. _

_When you suddenly realized you said something wrong._

_And he was just staring._

_Taking deep breaths._

_You don't know when he would strike._

_You didn't know when he would give you another thing worth crying for._

_"You know you're just a mistake don't you? So no one cares."_

_But-_

_"No one will ever look at you as if you have anything worth to say."_

_I-_

_"You can just go to rot. Anyone going to look?"_

_Mama-_

_"Leave. I don't want to see you face. Get out."_

_She was pushed outside and into the hallway. Away from her home._

_Oh wait. It never was._

_Tears threatened to spill._

_The door slammed shut._

_Locked out of that fantasy. Thrust into the truth._

_She just slid down._

_Because knowing you weren't supposed to even breathe?_

_Having someone to slap that in further?_

_A heart can only stand so much._

_Things most people would never have to face._

_Things that were all brought up upon this little girl._

_One who entered the world, seemingly unwanted._

_So part of the pain was cast into those salty drops of water._

_And the rest built up inside._

_Bandages only take so much._

_They stay for a second._

_The hurt you feel inside?_

_Eternity could fit the blank._

* * *

Lucy had finished.

She sat down on the bed, nothing to do.

Her mind was as blank as the piece of paper sitting on the desk.

*SLAP*

The girl sat up.

What was that?

She walked over to the wall, a bit curious of what was going on.

Those brown eyes widened considerably when she heard her mom's voice from the other side.

When did she get home?

Was Minerva still here?

"A divorce paper. You want a divorce."

The female was shocked. What had happened?

"You're-"

She didn't hear that last part.

Silence.

Suddenly, there was a gunshot. You couldn't mistake it.

No...

A hand went up to her mouth.

He didn't... he COULDN'T.

She started trembling again.

If SHE hadn't been born, the two parents could have had a better life.

Lucy had gotten her mom hurt.

She had made her father sneak around.

She brought this all on herself.

No one else to blame but her.

And now what? What could a mistake do? Obviously not try to fix it alone. She would just mess up even more.

The teen quickly slipped on her shoes and ran.

Ran away from what she did and to someone who could help.

Lucy ignored the flaring pain from her recent beatings.

She went through the streets.

It was raining.

The sky was crying.

* * *

_**End.**_

_**How was this? I just thought I'd leave on a(kinda?) cliffhanger.**_

_**Hope you liked.**_

_**Please leave a review! I'd like to know what you thought. ;D**_

_**This one was dedicated to all of you. Because you deserve half the credit.**_

_**Love ya. **_

_**-SkyFairies**_


	4. Chapter 4- For good, or for bad

_**CHAPTER 4**_

**All Messed Up**

* * *

_Two feet clash against the ground._

_Running forward, always._

_Those eyes look ahead to a future._

_Even if the mind doesn't see yet._

**_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_**

Lucy ran along the walkway, pushing through the multiple crowds, ignoring almost everything.

Annoyed shouts were all put in her direction. But those ears were deaf.

The blonde girl was crossing the street without looking both ways. She made it safely across but suddenly, something passed by from behind.

Golden hair swayed. A lumbering truck had swept through, bearing it's shining headlights. Cutting through the air.

Maybe she should have stayed on that road. It would have done her and probably everyone living a great favor. The female certainly didn't want to be here anymore.

The pale face kept it's emotionless barrier.

No. This was all her doing.

A weed in the flourishing garden. One that spreads through, like a disease. Poisoning everything in its path. A mistake that created an even bigger problem than herself.

How ironic.

And it was up to her to do something about it.

She lifted the pale face up.

Drops raining down from the gray sky splattered across her skin. It seemed like tears were flowing in tiny rivers, bearing the weight of gravity, pulling down.

She sighed silently.

Yes. This was her realm. A world of raining tears. Backgrounds with dark colors. Suitable for her.

Funny isn't it, rain can be a calming element. Quiet and pattering in the background. Yet, when things build up, all is let out. And the seemingly gentle beads of water turn into sharp knives.

A place with sadness and misery. She opened her eyes again and ran on. That mind only focused on one thing now.

Sights trained on one spot in the distance.

Determination could be seen in all of her features.

And so Lucy continued her search.

With that thick wall surrounding, and non-existent cracks.

Not knowing that even if it was a gray world-

There's always a rainbow after the rain.

Always.

No matter how long the downpour lasts.

* * *

A man was in an apartment. He looked at the still body on the ground with cold eyes. Not making a sound, the male took all of his belongings and walked into the room next door.

Looking in, he noticed no one was in there. Shock was written all over his face. His ears had never heard anyone leaving.

The man's mind went into a frenzy. He was going to be in trouble if he didn't think of a plan. The blond male needed to get away, and fast.

The body stayed still while inside, everything was a panic. Pages laid out, thoughts formed, actions were planned.

Walking out the door, an overcoat was put on. His hand reached into the deep pocket and pulled out a cell phone.

He made an urgent call with someone and quickly explained the situation. The two came to a conclusion and the device was put away.

Jude walked away, leaving no evidence behind.

Seemingly disappearing from two lives for a long time.

Whisked away with the wind and seasons.

Turning on a corner, to another destination.

Explanations and secrets leaving along with him.

* * *

Natsu was having a normal morning. Well, normal by his standards.

"DAD! WHERE'S THE FOOD?" he yelled out while rummaging through their empty cabinets.

"CHECK THE FRIDGE!" a voice rang out from upstairs.

"NOTHING!" he faced the stairs while holding open the fridge.

"GO TO THE MARKET!" and a wallet came bouncing down. Natsu sweatdropped.

"OI! I'M NOT GONNA BE YOUR MAID!" his fist shook at the ceiling.

No answer.

The teen sighed heavily and picket the leather object up. Well, at least he would be in charge of what food to buy this time.

The pink haired male remembered the last time they were shopping. He had been lazy and didn't go. The result was when Igneel had glanced at a dieting commercial and decided that NATSU could shed a few pounds. WHAT THE HELL?! He was a prodigy in sports! And carrots were a bunny thing.

The man rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut, almost knocking the hinges off.

"Oops." he muttered and just continued on.

Straggling into the elevator, he leaned against the wall and pressed the button for the lobby.

Just as the metal doors almost closed, a girl came out and was running towards him.

Using his natural instincts, Natsu quickly put his hands between the door and successfully stopped it from moving in any further.

A brunette was panting and stumbled into the elevator.

"Thank you." she let out while being hunched over.

"No problem." and he resumed his spot by the wall.

She glanced up and immediately blushed. The guy with her in the large device was certainly handsome. She could see his muscles and six pack. Not to mention his unruly hair and strong facial features.

But the teenager didn't seem to notice and was just mumbling random things under his breath such as 'idiot dad' and 'dieting'.

She was very confused and just stared at the ground, still bearing a red face.

Just then, there was a ringing sound and her companion had swept out into the large room as soon as the bottom floor showed.

* * *

"Jeez, this'll be a long trip." the male said to himself while speed walking out.

And just as he made it out the glass doors, a girl with flowing blond hair bumped into him.

His onyx eyes widened and he quickly regained his balance, putting a foot behind them.

"Hey, you ok?" Natsu asked while looking down.

'_Strawberries' _he thought.

'_Wait what? No no no. I'm not becoming that smelling pervert Loke.' _the male shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts out.

And that was when his mind realized that he, Natsu Dragneel, was holding a teenage girl probably the same age as him in his arms. Also, they were both soaking wet.

The strong male distinctly felt the cold raindrops falling onto his skin.

The stranger lifted her face up. The boy could definitely see that he had never met her before.

Large brown orbs stared straight up at him. Hope flashed through an emotionless mask.

"Igneel?" she whispered.

He jolted in surprise. Many people had mistaken him for his father, because they both looked and acted alike. But he had pink hair, and Igneel red.

The strange girl then noticed his hair color.

"Oh." she let out in disappointment.

Natsu could see the sad expression and wished he could be of more use to her.

"Um, do you know my dad?" he asked.

* * *

If Lucy had been running for a long time now, she didn't let it show. Even if her legs felt like fire, she wouldn't take a break. Her mom had been the only one in her whole life to show a but of kindness. As a child, Lucy had always been home-schooled so she never saw any people her age too often. And when she did, she wasn't allowed to talk to them.

Her mother had given her a life to live for. But now she repaid with a gun. That weapon might as well have been shot by her.

The scenery passed by in a blur. She just needed to make it to the only other person she trusted. And just then, a flare of unspeakable pain shot up from her legs and arms.

An almost unnoticeable wince flashed through her features. The bruises and cuts hadn't healed yet. And to make it worse, she could feel some makeup washing away from the rain.

At that moment, Lucy registered something. This place looked very familiar.

She looked all around, while still running forward.

Yes!

Her destination was just up ahead. Remembering that there was no time to waste, her body used up her last burst of speed.

Just to get to that tall building up ahead.

Making it through the crowds and workers,she ran across the roads and streets.

Finally, the shining glass doors appeared up ahead. But someone was just coming out.

The blond was going too fast and couldn't stop in time. Well, unless she wanted a face to face meeting with the hard ground.

Her eyes shut tightly as soon as the person's shirt drew near.

"Ugh." she grunted softly. The breath was knocked out of her lungs and she was way too tired to move.

The female expected to bring them both down, but this stranger was pretty strong and managed to hold them both up.

Lucy could feel a six pack underneath her hands. Thank goodness the man wasn't weak. She wasn't sure she could get up on her own.

"Hey, you ok?" the guy asked.

To most girls, his voice would have sounded smooth and dreamy. But this one wasn't like most females at all.

She opened her mouth to reply but came up with nothing.

The brown eyed woman could now experience the full pain of her journey and the toll on her multiple wounds.

But that voice sounded oddly familiar...

"Igneel?"

That was the first word to come out. The person holding her up looked exactly like the caring father she knew and loved. All his facial features were exactly the same.

Yet after closer inspection, the girl could see that he had pink hair instead of a fire red. Also, this one looked so much younger. Her face fell without knowing.

"Oh." she murmured.

His onyx eyes looked into hers and she could see the confusion swirling around.

"Um, do you know my dad?"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In another perspective, time seemed to stop. We all know that this golden haired girl had just shook hands with fate. But in her mind and soul, nothing happened. No spark. No click. No understanding. No KNOWING.

And that one sentence would change her dark and stormy world.

Because sometimes, the simplest things can mean the most.

For good, or for bad.

* * *

**OK, finally done this chapter. Took me a lot of my study halls but I made it.**

**So this chapter is dedicated to amulet2579. I DIDN'T FORGET! ;P**

**And I wanna give a shout out to chara beats 90. Still celebrating! Congrats ;).**

**So that's it! I think this was a pretty good chapter;) look forward to writing more and reading your responses!**

**You're all awesome. ;) Yes. Yes you are.**

**-SkyFairies**


	5. Chapter 5- Visitor

**AUTHOR NOTE-**

**HAIII! I'm not dead yet, just slow. ;)**

**So I've been busy lately, and ****I know there are other stories and NO I don't have writer's block but I'm just focusing more on this fanfic for now.**

**Dedication- To all the readers and reviewers who take the time to read this fanfic. I thank you for your support! **

**Note- Please tell me if my story seems to feel beginner or if I need more details, anything like that.**

* * *

_**ALL MESSED UP-**_

_**Chapter 5**_

* * *

_Change is inevitable. _

_And yet people still try to avoid that._

_Everyone falls at one point._

_Change may happen, but the strong ones are the people who get__ up and keep walking._

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Igneel had always been a loyal man. Sometimes crazy, yes, but never backing down on what he believed in.

In school, he had been well known for playing soccer and for his good looks. But aren't all popular people like that?

Usually.

Igneel dealt with his fans pretty well and was always very easygoing. But really, no one had ever seen him with a girl or with a friend in general. Add that mystery to everything else and there you have it.

The one person who seemed to be the topic of conversation everywhere on campus.

Most wouldn't be surprised if his face showed up in the school newspaper almost every week.

Nothing ever changed. Same routine everyday.

But one day, students and teachers suddenly noticed a blond girl next to him. She wore plain glasses and usually had her hair in a ponytail. Most would always wonder why the great Igneel had his first friend be like that.

If you asked the two, Igneel would most likely just say something like, "Oh, why? Layla's just special." and then laugh a bit while scratching the back of his neck.

Layla would have just held her head down and mumble, "If you need to know, go ask Igneel."

And so, no one ever had a real answer for that question.

But sometimes, the two old friends would still think about their meeting and smile.

Because in reality, how could they have ever gotten through without the other?

* * *

_A blond was sitting on top of the roof, earbuds in both ears and notebooks scattered around her. Her brown eyes were focused on the work in her hands and a pencil flew around wildly. She murmured random words at times while writing furiously._

_The scenery was simple. A plain white floor with a door slanting on the ground. Some misplaced leaves littered the area and one puddle had formed in an empty corner, waiting to evaporate._

_A small metal bar outlined the edge with the occasional pole to support its weight. Besides the small gusts of wind that picked up the crinkled brown leaves into the air, everything was empty and quiet. _

_The girl had just put away one notebook and was reaching for her journal when a slamming sound penetrated the peaceful silence. A marble notebook fell back to the concrete and the startled teen looked up quickly, eyes wide and confused. Like a deer caught in the headlights._

_Another soft breeze flew in, making the strands of gold float around her face._

_"Woah! I never knew this roof was so empty!" a male had just come up and his red hair was flying in the air. A tan hand was acting as a shield over his dark eyes, blocking out the sun's bright rays._

_His expression seemed calmed and excited at the same time._

_Layla wasn't sure of what to do just then. She never really interacted with others and that was perfectly fine with her. The girl was more of a silent person, relying mostly on herself._

_Her posture was stiff and still. To be truthful, she wasn't sure why her body reacted this way either. Was it because she was nervous around others?_

_Probably._

_"Hey!"_

_The female teen was startled into looking towards the voice. She saw the person waving and showing a toothy grin in her direction._

_'Well, he isn't going to leave anytime soon now' she thought while sighing internally._

_Her pale hand, now having regained control, picked up the flipped notebook and opened up to her notes from the day before._

_She found her pencil lying near her thigh and started on the new assignment._

_"Yeesh, you've got a lot of notes!"_

_Her mind scattered again and she only faintly realized that the man had been walking over and now was leaning over her shoulder, eyes widening at the amount of things she had written down._

_Layla was wishing that this would end soon and that he would just go back down-_

_"Wait, you're that blond in my math class!" the red haired boy exclaimed while slapping his fist down onto his open palm._

_She winced slightly at that, thinking it was a painful gesture. Yet the onyx eyed person squatting next to her didn't twitch at all._

_"Oh right! Yo, I'm Igneel Dragneel." and with another wide smile he extended an open hand to her._

_The female took it hesitantly and gave a small shake. _

_"You're..." he looked at her expectantly._

_"Layla Heartfilia." she said quietly but loud enough for him to hear._

_"Nice to meet ya!" Igneel said. But before she could even open her mouth up again, his attention switched back to her notes and the scattered notebooks._

_"You're seriously smart." he stated while flipping through the filled pages, not noticing that what he was doing definitely wasn't considered normal at all._

_"Hey..." the boy turned back to the shrinking girl. _

_The golden haired female reluctantly took her mind off of her fiddling fingers._

_"we have a test tomorrow?" his finger was currently resting on a side note she made that said 'Test Friday'._

_She nodded while wondering where this conversation could possibly be going._

_His hands suddenly went up to grab his hair and he shut his eyes tightly. It was almost like he was trying to hide away from something._

_"That freaking teacher is going to kill me again." the whimpering male rocked back and forth._

_Layla was definitely having the weirdest day of her life right there. Not only did she meet a strange but friendly CLASSMATE(of all things) in her favorite place to work, the biggest problem now was to try to calm the guy down and then get out of there as fast as possible._

_"Err, you didn't study did you?" the cautious blond said._

_"Noo." he groaned out._

_Layla knew that she could have gotten out just then. But what about the consequences? She was a victim of guilt constantly throughout the day because she never talked to anyone and didn't bother helping them just to escape having a conversation._

_And she was good at math..._

_OK, she thought to herself, am I really going to risk my only free day to help a guy I barely know? (Also, he looks like he's having a breakdown over there...)._

_After a short debate, she stood up and walked over to the man._

_"I better get big points for this later. And why am I even doing this?" she muttered softly._

_Layla's first thing in her list of things to always do was not helping random people. But then again, her head would give her a mental breakdown too if she didn't help Igneel._

_"If you want... I can help you study." she said in a wavering voice while seriously regretting that decision at the same time._

_"Really?" his head went up._

_The girl bit her lip and nodded. _

_"YES! Come on, we gotta go!" he jumped up and grabbed her wrist while speeding down the stairs._

_"H-hey..." the flustered girl tried prying his hand off of hers._

_'Well, he seemed to switch moods pretty quickly' she sighed._

_'But alright.' the blond looked down to the intertwined hands. An unfamiliar warmth surrounded those usually pale fingers._

_'Just this once.'_

_And her legs started moving in tune with his, both running to an unknown destination._

_The two didn't know that later on, they would be having hundreds of study sessions just like the one that day._

_Usually, Igneel would drag her to random places._

_And along the way, Layla was the one who remembered their stuff._

_At least, usually. _

_..._

_"WAIT! I left my bag there!"_

* * *

"DAD! I need you down here NOW!"

Igneel rolled over in bed, still in his dreamland.

"Shit, you left your bag?" he muttered.

"OLD MAN!" footsteps were coming.

"But can't you get the book later Layla?" he whined softly.

"GET UP YOU LAZY GEEZER." The door slammed open and almost left a hole in the wall if not for the door stopper.

A pink haired boy stepped in, bearing a guarded posture. It was as if he expected a bomb to go off at any second.

The covers on the large bed shifted and suddenly pushed off, a deadly aura coming out.

"DON'T BREAK THE DOOR NATSU!" Igneel finally woke up from his deep slumber and threw a pillow towards the direction of the open door-frame.

"You've got a visitor." Nastu easily dodged the flying object and leaned casually against the wall.

"Huh?" the father stared at his son.

* * *

**Finally finished the next chapter! I hope it was good! I had people read it for me like, ten times haha.**

**But LOVE ALL OF YOU! Still staying awesome right?**

**-SkyFairies**


	6. Chapter 6- Thorns of fate

**IT'S SUNDAY! I KEPT MY PROMISE! YOU GUYS REVIEWED AND MADE ME CRY(which I will pay you back for hehe) AND I FINISHED A BEAUTIFUL MANGA. IT'S ALL GOOD.**

**It's been a long time.**

**Dedicated to G Chen. I don't know how I don't know your Birthday. I should be slamming my head against the wall right now.**

**...OH WELL!**

**HAPPY BELATED B-DAY!**

**And to all you readers out there, Happy belated or early birthday to you too ;)**

**We shall host a small celebration in our minds. **

**AFTER. THIS. CHAPTER. **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**_CHAPTER 6- ALL MESSED UP:_  
**

* * *

Lucy had just been invited into an apartment by a stranger that looked almost TOO MUCH like Igneel. Was she scared? No.

Should she have been?

Well, maybe.

As she was contemplating whether or not to run upstairs or out of the banged up front door(how did that even happen?), her mind unwillingly brought up the memories that she had received in her youth at this exact building. Somehow, even after many years, she still remembered this place.

Yet with half of her brain smiling fondly at the father she wished she had gotten, the other part was screaming at her to leave Igneel and just dial 911. Somewhere. ANYWHERE.

And why did she come here? Was it because this apartment had been the only home to her since she was born, or was it because the only other person who had ever smiled at her was here?

Lucy didn't know. Her legs just ran towards this direction.

The time where her thoughts were truly separated from her body.

Shock.

Her mind went back to the boy.

The blond had been told to take a seat at the wooden table in this room. But as soon as the male went upstairs, she jumped up(her legs were now 10 times worse) and started pacing back and forth.

Was it just her, or was this taking too long? It felt like ages since she stepped into this building for the first time in all these years.

Now that the girl thought about it, she should have went to the police first.

But that teenage boy had looked so much like Igneel. Her mind and heart had felt at ease just by him standing in front of her. Even though that was the first time she had ever seen him.

The blond shook her head and banged her forehead against her palm. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about that.

She had to do SOMETHING now. Not just stand there.

Lucy rushed over to the door and had just placed her hand on the handle when something came tumbling down the stairs.

And this time, it was a red haired man.

* * *

...

Igneel had been shocked when Natsu had said that one sentence.

A girl? Why was Layla back?

"Son, if you're gonna say that Layla was here then don't call her just 'a blond girl'." the sleepy man yawned and started rolling to the edge of the bed.

He could take his time if it was his old friend. Besides, his sleep had been lacking for some time now.

"But it isn't Layla. There's a blond girl downstairs that looks exactly like her though. Seems like she's here to see you." Natsu said while coming over to the bed to sit down.

And that made the red haired man stop rolling right there. A girl who looked exactly like Layla?

Igneel suddenly realized he had been face-down and couldn't breathe. That's right.

He rolled again and sucked in a huge breath of air.

Maybe he heard wrong.

"Natsu, say that again." he muttered.

"Oi, don't go making me repeat things twice. There's a blond downstairs alright? Can you just go see her?"

But halfway through the sentence, the old guy had already fully awoken and jumped off the bed. He ran out, almost toppling over the now startled boy.

"HEY! DON'T DO PUSHING ME DOWN TO THE GROUND POPS!" The younger male also followed out behind.

Just to see his father skid to the end of the hallway and stop in his tracks.

As still as a statue. Just staring at something.

"Hey, what's up with you?" the teen followed down, now a lot calmer than before.

"IGNEEL!" A shout came and the same girl stumbled to the father.

"Lucy?" The man was still looking at the female.

"You need to come with me!" she said while trying to pull him to the front door.

"Hey, what's the rush? Come here, we've got a lot to talk about." a chair was pulled out.

Her mouth opened.

"Mom..." a shaky voice whispered.

"And I've been waiting for you ya know? What happened?"

Natsu came over.

She NEEDED to say this. It was her fault after all.

"I..." the same stutter appeared.

"To think that Layla had just asked me to talk to you-"

_Now._

"MOM'S DYING! WE NEED TO GO!" Lucy had mustered all the strength into that scream.

She looked as if she would collapse at any moment.

The two males stared at her.

The girl was breathing heavily.

"Gunshot...dad...the rain."

She was shaking.

Her hands covered her ears and those eyelids were shut, as if trying to block out a harsh sound.

Two minds tried to comprehend.

"Gun...shot?"

Igneel was looking at the wall. There was a deadly silence.

The pink haired boy tried to speak up.

"If-"

And at that sound, it was as if another chord had struck just then.

The blond and his father had run out the door.

The other teen followed close behind only seconds later.

The man because he only had Layla with a gun-shot wound stuck in his mind. He had told her to stay safe, hadn't he?

And Lucy because her mom was probably bleeding right now.

Possibly(and most likely) bleeding to her death.

**_x-x-x-x-x-x-x_**

**_And somewhere in that same city, the woman was bleeding._**

**_Collapsed to the carpet._**

**_Pale skin, reflecting the darkness surrounding her._**

**_A hole in her body._**

**_Three people running towards her._**

**_A clock was ticking._**

**_The hourglass with sand,_**

**_would it keep up?_**

**_x-x-x-x-x_**

**_The twisting thorns of fate were alive._**

**_Alive, and moving._**

* * *

**NOTES-**

**Cia.P: I'm glad you liked this! I personally think it still seems beginner but as long as you guys keep giving reviews then I'll just keep improving ;). Also, this story from the beginning was mine. The first version was called 'Moving in' but I've deleted that and re-wrote it. Keep reading for me ok?**

**o-o**

**I did my best! It was really fun, being able to write again. ;)**

**And now I shall study for two quizzes tomorrow.**

**THANKSGIVING. I AM BEGGING YOU. I NEED THAT 5 DAY WEEKEND NOW.**

**-SkyFairies**


	7. Chapter 7- Run away

As** I promised, I HAVE NOW FINALLY UPDATED. ALL HAIL ME. (I did it WITHOUT the blowhorn too ;)**

**Don't wanna waste time cause IT'S THANKSGIVING HERE PEOPLE! I might go to a party tonight too.**

**But anyways, keep on shining and I'll keep on eating. :p**

* * *

_**CHAPTER 8 - ALL MESSED UP**_

* * *

Natsu had followed the two. He didn't know why either. They ran out the door and he went with them. It was an impulse, really.

And now his legs were burning from running frantically towards an unknown destination that only the blond and his dad knew about. Was he regretting this now? Well, yeah.

But for some weird reason, his feet wouldn't stop taking the long strides that caused this fire in his body. His eyes didn't move anywhere else except from two backs, and the scenery was constantly moving by.

If the people ahead of him would just stop, then Natsu would've too. Actually, that was his biggest wish right now. And he was willing to give up a buffet for it.

An all-you-can-eat buffet that HADN'T kicked him out yet.

That was what he kept thinking about. Over and over until it became a chant. His eyes were pleading for them to stop.

No one did.

And so the three kept moving along.

o~O~O~o

Lucy and Igneel were desperate. They couldn't feel any pain right now, because the foreboding sense of Layla being dead was looming over them, taking over their minds, and not allowing anything else in. That was their only purpose right now. Nothing else.

They were unknowingly risking their lives too, taking extreme chances against the city traffic and the people who were bustling around.

Even if a car had crashed into them, all they would feel was the urge to be at that tiny apartment only a couple blocks away.

And the even bigger urge to keep moving.

Of course, there had been numerous honks and shouts of displeasure. Fists in their direction and annoyed faces were seen everywhere.

But if you had been watching them from the beginning till now, you would also see the growing hope shining in their eyes.

Because when what you wish for the most is one block away, all your worries seem to go away.

Even if it's for just a second.

* * *

Layla was nothing.

No, not TECHNICALLY nothing, but still. She definitely felt like nothing.

The pain had grown so much that all she felt now was numbness. The pain had gone away, but the thought still had not.

Her eyes were blank. No life could be found.

There was no strength left in her body, but she felt that she was grasping to something tightly. What was it?

What was keeping her eyes open still?

The woman wanted to go to sleep. She was so tired. Her body had been rendered useless now.

Well, at least her skin could still feel one thing. It was the blood coming from the wound in her shoulder. She could feel it pouring out. The sticky liquid was so red. Burning in its own way.

Different from Igneel's hair though. The two were both red. Yet looking at each of them, you would find them very different in comparison.

The hole had been so painful in the beginning. Shock had come first though.

The blond smiled a bit, even though it was hard to move.

_You missed my heart Jude._

She hadn't been killed.

Layla almost wished she had.

The female trembled slightly. The room was growing colder.

Light wasn't let in.

No hope left. She had abandoned the idea.

Now she let go of everything and fell to darkness.

* * *

Lucy had been scared for her whole life.

Even when she had not known any pain yet, there was still a sense that was drifting closer to her each day.

But nothing scared her more than the scene before her eyes.

Her mom was laying on the ground. The only source of light came in through the doorway, at it seemed to fall just on her body.

The girl could clearly see the blood. The substance was still pouring out of her shoulder too.

The carpet was stained with a dark red.

She could clearly smell and recognize the disgusting scent all over the room.

After all, how many times had she dealt with it herself?

But still. Her body was frozen.

They say that each person has to find their own way in life.

Then what about her mothers? Hers?

The mom she had didn't deserve this at all.

Lucy had turned to her when no one else would accept her.

She had smiled to the child. She hadn't abandoned her.

That woman was her ray of light. That person showed her that she was important too.

But now?

Lucy wanted to kill herself. If her mom could have her happy ending, then this daughter would gladly do anything for that.

She collapsed to the floor.

No. Layla was clearly dying right now.

...

And nothing would change that fact.

* * *

The three were all waiting.

Waiting for any news about Layla Heartfilia.

Igneel was shocked when he saw what state his best friend was in.

His eyes had immediately shot over to Lucy.

She hadn't been able to do anything. Just frozen.

So the father and son took action.

Well, mostly son.

Natsu was the one to call the hospital and have them send an ambulance while he checked the fading woman's pulse frantically, also trying to stop the flow of blood too.

The red haired man could easily remember that blood over his hands. He himself had grown darker then.

Even the nurses were in a nervous wreck, shouting things and having doctors rush over.

These all didn't help the situation at all.

The blond girl had managed to follow them well enough, even if she did seem like a walking corpse.

The two males were waiting inside the hospital.

Lucy was waiting outside.

Standing right in front of the building, drenched in the cold rain.

People had glanced over at her many times. But the girl noticed nothing.

She was simply staring down with a blank face. Drops of water splashed onto her skin and rolled down her hair.

Her clothes were all wet now, unable to absorb any more liquid.

You wouldn't be able to tell what she was thinking.

But truthfully?

She didn't know what she was thinking either.

* * *

Natsu had been watching the blond for a while now.

After seeing Layla getting pulled away on a stretcher, she had walked out to the rain and just stood there.

He wanted to go out there and pull her in.

But he held back.

Even if he did go out there, what would happen?

So the boy didn't do anything.

He sat on one of the benched near the glass doors and watched her.

And he was still watching her.

Up to the point where she took out a silver gun and started running again.

* * *

**Hehe, it's been a while! I don't think it's too bad after a month eh? Hope you liked it!**

**Although I'm pretty sure I lack something...**

**:p Oh well ;).**

**Keep being the awesome people you naturally are k? And feel free to PM me anytime too;).**

**-SkyFairies**


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